Process of forming filaments from viscose, &amp;c.



No. 808,148. PATBNTED DEG. 26, 1905.

c. A. ERNST.

PROCESS 0F PORMING FILAMBNTS PROM VISGOSE, Se,

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19.1905.

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` WITHESSES.:

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICEo CHARLES A. ERNST, OF LANSDOVNE,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SILAS IV. PETTIT, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1905.

Application iiled June 19,1905. Serial No. 265,893.

To rr/ZZ whom it mar/,U concern:

Be it known that l, CHARLES A. ERNST, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Lansdowne, State of Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements Relative to the Process of FormingFilaments from Viscose, &c., of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to the manufacture of what is commonly known asartificial silk and filaments from viscose and like material, and hasfor its object the giving to the threads or filaments greater strengthand luster, and generally the production of a superior article ofmanufacture.

In the manufacture of threads and filaments from viscose it isadvantageous to spin the thread directly onto spools and to treat thethread in all the further stages of reverting, washing, and drying whileit remains on the spool. In order to obtain a luster to the thread orfilament, such as made from viscose, it is necessary to dry them whileunder tension. The degree of tension is also a very important element inthe drawing stage of the process, and my present invention relatesmainly to the method of subjecting the threads in the drawing stage ofthe process at a certain portion in their length between the spool andthe perforated cap to an unevenly-distributed tension while the threadsare still in a semiplastic condition, thereby imparting greater and moreuniform strength and adding greater luster. In the methods heretoforepracticed in the manufacture of threads of this character from viscoseand like material the tension upon the threads has been produced bydrawing the filaments through the setting-bath directly from theperforated cap; but this tension is incidental and insufficient toproduce the best results. In the methods heretofore practiced it hasbeen impossible to exert upon the filaments the desired amount oftension, as the greatest strain is upon that portion of the thread whereit is the most plastic, which is of course the point where the plasticmaterial rst enters the setting-bath from the perforated cap, or thepoint where the threads first enter the setting-bath. Therefore alimited amount of tension only can be exerted. This is suficient toproduce practical results for some sizes, but not the best results, as IA have discovered in my practical experience.

In carrying out myinvention for giving additional strength and luster tothe threads I subject the threads in a portion intermediate in theirlength between the spool and the cap or perforated head to an increasedtension after this portion has become partially solidified substantiallyevenly in this portion of its length by passing through thesetting-bath.

My invention consists in the method hereinafter more particularlydescribed, and specified in the claims.

The operation of my process and two forms of apparatus for carrying thesame out are illustrated in the drawings forming part of thisspecification.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of apparatus. Fig. 2 is across-section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 illustrates amodied form in section. Fig. 4 is a detailed View of construction foradjustably supporting the bars or rods l and 5 with respect to eachother upon the tank of the setting-bath.

The tank of the setting-bath is indicated by l, which is kept lled withammonium sulfate and bisuliite of soda or similar solution.

2 represents one of a series of tubes through which the viscose or likesolution is forced under pressure, as is usual in an apparatus of thischaracter, the details of which are not shown.

3 represents a perforated head with either round or elongatedperforations secured to the tube 2, through which the cellulose isejected into the setting-bath within the tank l either in the form of around thread or a series of round threads or in the form of a flatthread or tape or a series of the same. Sufiicient material is forced orejected through the cap or head into the setting-bath to allow the endsto be secured to one of the series of spools 7 after4 passing betweenthe rods or bars A and 5, as shown in the drawings. The spool 7 is thengiven a rotary motion in the direction of the arrow, which draws thefilaments through the setting-bath at a desired predetermined tension.By the interposition of the rods t and 5, arranged as indicated in Figs.l and 3 or in a substantially like manner and crosswise of the tank, thegreatest tension upon the filamentous material may be exerted upon thatportion of the threads which extends between the spool 'T and the rod 5,which portion having passed through the setting-bath is more solid andsubstantially evenly so throughout that portion of its length. Lesstension is upon that portion of the threads or filaments which extendsbetween the rods 1f and 5, and the least tension is upon the moreplastic portion which extends between the rod et and the cap of theperforated head 3. The weakest and. most ductile portion, it will beobserved, is of course that portion of the threads as it emerges in thesemiplastic condition from the perforated cap and before it has been inthe setting-bath any length of time. If the same tension should beexerted upon this portion of the threads as may be exerted upon theportion between the spool 7 and the rod 5, it would either break off thethreads or draw them entirely too finely and either weaken or destroythe thread or filament. After the thread has passed the rod 5 on itspassage to the spool 7 while it is substantially still very ductile theamount of tension which is capable of be ing exerted upon the thread atthis stage without drawing the thread or filament is much greater thanthat which may be exerted at the primary stage, and therefore thethreads or filaments at this portion may be subjected to a much greatertension, adding greater luster to the thread as well as imparting to itgreater strength.

While the drawings only represent one set of tubes and perforated capsand threads or filaments and spools, a series are preferably arranged ofsimilar character side by side at proper intervals apart throughout thewidth of the tank, as indicated in Fig. 2.

8 represents a vibrating thread-guide by means of which the strands arelaid in layers or courses upon each spool.

The tank l is filled with suitable solution, such as ammonium sulfateand bisulfite of soda and such as is commonly used in manufacturingfilaments of this character from viscose and like material. By theaction of this solution the filaments of viscose are rendered insolubleand substantially solid after passing' through the bath. The amount offriction pn the rods l and 5 and the tension on the threads may bevaried by changing the relative position of the rods. As shown in Fig.3, the rods may be so placed that the strands wrap around a considerableportion of the pe riphery of each rod. Such an arrangementis desirablewhere it is preferred to put a considerable amount of stretch into thethread.

In the form shown in Fig. l the rods are submerged. It is clear that oneor both may be or neither, if desired.

In the detailed drawing shown in Fig. 4 the upper rod 5 is mounted atone end of the movable support 9, while the other rod l is mounted inthe fixed support 6. The support 9 is adjustable by means of the slotl() and thumb-screw il. By this means the rods a and can be readily andaccurately adjusted relatively to each other to produce the propertension 'for any character of thread.

In my preferred form of the invention I make the rods 5 and 6 of glass;but ebonite, rubber, or other suitable material could be readilysubstituted.

It is clear that the construction of apparatus may be considerablyvaried without departing' from the spirit of my invention and that myprocess may be carried out by various forms of apparatus employingsuitable tension devices between the spinning-head 3 and thewinding-spool 7, operating in the manner hereinbefore described forcarrying out my improved method.

In carrying out my process the threads or filaments may be spun togetherin the setting'- bath or not, as desired. A flat, as well as a round,thread or a series of the same may be formed, as desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-- l. The herein-described process of makingfilaments from viscose, and like material, consisting in causingtheviscose, or like material, to pass through a perforated cap into andthrough a setting-bath directly to the winding-spool, and subjecting thedifferent portions of the length of the threads between the spool andthe perforated cap to different degrees of tension to apply a definitepredetermined stretch' to the filaments between the bath and thewinding-spool.

2. The herein-described process of making filaments from viscose, orlike material, consisting in causing the viscose, or like material, toemerge into a setting-bath in the form of a filamentous thread, passingthe same through said setting-bath directly to the winding-spool, andsubjecting the portion of the thread nearest the emerging-point toaminimum stretch, and the portion of the thread nearest thewinding-spool to a maximum stretch.

3. The process of making filaments from viscose and like material, whichconsists in applying' a definite predetermined stretch to the filamentsas they emerge from the setting-bath and winding' the said filaments,under tension, directlyA upon spools.

4. The manufacture of threads from plastic material formed by ejectingthe plastic material under pressure in the form of finely-dividedfilament, or thread, intoasetting-bath, winding the threads directlyupon a spool under tension, and subjecting the most plastic portion ofthe thread in the setting-bath to a minimum stretch, and the moresolidified portion nearer the winding-spool to a greater stretch.

5. The manufacture of threads from plastic material, consisting inforcing the plastic material in a finely-divided state under pressureinto a setting-bath, and passing the same through the setting-bath toand upon a winding-spool, exerting friction upon the said thread at apoint intermediate in its length between the spool and where the dividedplastic material enters the setting-bath, and applying a greater tensionupon the portion of the threads between the spool and the tensionmedium, and a less tension between the friction medium and the point ofentry of the divided plastic material into the setting-bath.

6. The herein-described process of making filaments from viscose or likematerial, consisting in causing viscose or like material to emerge in asetting-bath in the form of a filamentous thread, passing the samethrough said setting-bath, and through a tension device to awinding-spool and subjecting the portion of the thread nearest theemergingpoint of a minimum tension, subjecting that portion of thethread passing through the tension device by a greater tension than therst portion ofthe thread is subjected, and subjecting that portion ofthe thread between said tension device and the winding-spool of amaximum tension.

7. In the manufacture of laments from viscose or similar material, inwhich the viscose is ejected in a setting-bath and vwound directly uponspools, the process of subjecting different portions of the threadbetween the spinning-heads and the spools to three different tensions,whereby the minimum strain is applied to that portion of the filamentsnearest the spinning-head, maximum tension is applied to that portionnearest the windingspool and a medium tension is applied to a thirdportion of the thread located between the portions under maximum andminimum tensions.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of June,1905.

CHARLES A. ERNST.

Witnesses:

CHARLES JANVIER, WALTER C. POWELL.

